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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Gem of Bike Tour Travels--Mill City Running

Minnesota became my midwestern oasis almost immediately upon crossing the western border. No hard grudges against South Dakota, but I found Minnesota to be much more enjoyable and chock full of good people. I also got my running legs back there, largely because I broke down and decided that it was time to get a pair of running shoes again. I had the Ultra D-Day run coming up and I wasn't comfortable with the idea of a 100 miler off of thousands of cycling miles so I asked the google who sold running shoes in Minneapolis--specifically Altras which can be hard to find.

The google sent me across the bridge and the Mississippi, right past a whole foods (HOLY HELL WELCOME BACK VEGETABLES AND FRUIT AND SKINNY JEANS AND TATTOOS) and I zoomed across on Bike to Mill City Running. You know how sometimes you walk into a running store and the staff looks at you like go away, there's no way you're a runner? Almost like how they can't be bothered to deal with lesser mortals? Or like by selling someone running shoes they're now made part of this club that the shop keeps betray by not keeping very exclusive entry requirements? Yeah. That sucks.

That is so not Mill City Running. The staff I interacted with, Miscka, Elizabeth, and Jeff were amazingly friendly, knowledgable, and excited to get me back into Altras for the d-day run and Vermont and were stoked to meet Bike and hear some stories from the road. I left maybe an hour later with my usual altras, a couple bagels on the house, and a Mill City Runners tank (also on the house). I wear that shirt with pride and think back to Minneapolis--the town Portland wants to be. Mill City legitimately is one of the best running stores I've been in nationwide. If you're cruising through Minneapolis I can't recommend these guys enough for a group run, for a pair of kicks, or the geek stuff that will fuel you for a race.

These guys are rad. Check them out and say aloha. They made a huge difference in my cross country ride and my time in Minneapolis. Thanks guys!

Aloha and thanks for reading. My favorite trails are up at Peacock Flats (NW side of the island at Dillingham Airfield), and tantalus for the hurt course that starts at the Makiki nature center just north of honolulu. The HURT runners will be happy to show you the trails. Check out the group run info at www.hurthawaii.com. Happy trails

Sea Story

n. A tale that makes one salty. Having endured it and rehashing it now makes one rad, lucky to be alive, slightly more enlightened, possibly with raised insurance rates. May or may not be entirely true but its extreme and unbelievable nature make the story that much more incredible that the event is based in fact.